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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 10 · The Summum Bonum · 90 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 10.53.51-55

तां देवमायामिव धीरमोहिनीं

सुमध्यमां कुण्डलमण्डिताननाम् ।

श्यामां नितम्बार्पितरत्नमेखलां

व्यञ्जत्स्तनीं कुन्तलशङ्कितेक्षणाम् ।

शुचिस्मितां बिम्बफलाधरद्युति-

शोणायमानद्विजकुन्दकुड्‍मलाम् ॥ ५१ ॥

पदा चलन्तीं कलहंसगामिनीं

सिञ्जत्कलानूपुरधामशोभिना ।

विलोक्य वीरा मुमुहु: समागता

यशस्विनस्तत्कृतहृच्छयार्दिता: ॥ ५२ ॥

यां वीक्ष्य ते नृपतयस्तदुदारहास-

व्रीदावलोकहृतचेतस उज्झितास्‍त्रा: ।

पेतु: क्षितौ गजरथाश्वगता विमूढा

यात्राच्छलेन हरयेऽर्पयतीं स्वशोभाम् ॥ ५३ ॥

सैवं शनैश्चलयती चलपद्मकोशौ

प्राप्तिं तदा भगवत: प्रसमीक्षमाणा ।

उत्सार्य वामकरजैरलकानपाङ्गै:

प्राप्तान् ह्रियैक्षत नृपान् दद‍ृशेऽच्युतं च ॥ ५४ ॥

तां राजकन्यां रथमारुरुक्षतीं

जहार कृष्णो द्विषतां समीक्षताम् ॥ ५५ ॥

tāṁ deva-māyām iva dhīra-mohinīṁ

su-madhyamāṁ kuṇḍala-maṇḍitānanām

śyāmāṁ nitambārpita-ratna-mekhalāṁ

vyañjat-stanīṁ kuntala-śaṅkitekṣaṇām

śuci-smitāṁ bimba-phalādhara-dyuti-

śoṇāyamāna-dvija-kunda-kuḍmalām

padā calantīṁ kala-haṁsa-gāminīṁ

siñjat-kalā-nūpura-dhāma-śobhinā

vilokya vīrā mumuhuḥ samāgatā

yaśasvinas tat-kṛta-hṛc-chayārditāḥ

yāṁ vīkṣya te nṛpatayas tad udāra-hāsa-

vrīdāvaloka-hṛta-cetasa ujjhitāstrāḥ

petuḥ kṣitau gaja-rathāśva-gatā vimūḍhā

yātrā-cchalena haraye ’rpayatīṁ sva-śobhām

saivaṁ śanaiś calayatī cala-padma-kośau

prāptiṁ tadā bhagavataḥ prasamīkṣamāṇā

utsārya vāma-karajair alakān apaṅgaiḥ

prāptān hriyaikṣata nṛpān dadṛśe ’cyutaṁ ca

tāṁ rāja-kanyāṁ ratham ārurakṣatīṁ

jahāra kṛṣṇo dviṣatāṁ samīkṣatām

Translation

Rukmiṇī appeared as enchanting as the Lord’s illusory potency, who enchants even the sober and grave. Thus the kings gazed upon her virgin beauty, her shapely waist, and her lovely face adorned with earrings. Her hips were graced with a jewel-studded belt, her breasts were just budding, and her eyes seemed apprehensive of her encroaching locks of hair. She smiled sweetly, her jasmine-bud teeth reflecting the glow of her bimba-red lips. As she walked with the motions of a royal swan, the effulgence of her tinkling ankle bells beautified her feet. Seeing her, the assembled heroes were totally bewildered. Lust tore at their hearts. Indeed, when the kings saw her broad smile and shy glance, they became stupefied, dropped their weapons and fell unconscious to the ground from their elephants, chariots and horses. On the pretext of the procession, Rukmiṇī displayed her beauty for Kṛṣṇa alone. Slowly she advanced the two moving lotus-whorls of her feet, awaiting the arrival of the Supreme Lord. With the fingernails of her left hand she pushed some strands of hair away from her face and shyly looked from the corners of her eyes at the kings standing before her. At that moment she saw Kṛṣṇa. Then, while His enemies looked on, the Lord seized the princess, who was eager to mount His chariot.

Read the purport on Vedabase.io

From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Rukmiṇī’s Beauty Is for Kṛṣṇa Alone

  1. 1

    Rukmiṇī is most eager to see her beloved Kṛṣṇa. She worries that her locks of hair might obstruct her vision.

  2. 2

    Nondevotees see the Lord’s opulences as meant for their own gross sense gratification. But Rukmiṇī, an expansion of Kṛṣṇa’s internal pleasure potency, is meant for the Lord alone.

  3. 3

    Lust places the covering of Māyā between a person and spiritual beauty; the kings therefore see the Lord’s illusory potency rather than Rukmiṇī’s spiritual form. Rukmiṇī awaits the Supreme Lord, who takes her as she eagerly desires to mount His chariot.

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.